As a trilingual or bilingual, what role does language play in the creation of your identity? Which language do you think in?

I've grown up speaking 3 very diverse languages, I feel that they've created three distinct worlds in me. I find myself moving in and out of not only languages but cultures as well.
What role do languages play in your life? Do you find yourself thinking in more than one language?

In little Belgium, there are 3 national languages: Flemish (Dutch), French and German. I speak the first 2 and my mother tongue is French, even though my father was Flemish. I then studied English and Russian translation, lived a year in the US, studied in the Netherlands and in Russia, then met and married an Italian girl.

So, as you can imagine, your question triggers many thoughts, but for me the most important thing would be this:
It begets curiosity, openness, respect for "different" people.
It is a never-ending journey of pleasure and delight, you never fully master a language, but the more you learn, the more you enjoy it.

To communicate comes from Latin (communicatio), which means: to s-h-a-r-e .

Being happy for me is not having 6 zeros on my bank account, it is about sharing: passions, love, ideas (hello, TED), friendship.

I'm fortunate enough to live in Belgium, a place where, historically, socially, economically, there is no other choice than being open to what surrounds us, which starts with knowing several languages (even though Belgian politicians beg to differ).

So, every language you know gives you an opportunity to have, or rather, to e-n-j-o-y several cultural identities, which means you can easily share many more meaningful things in life with people.

Jan 29 2012:
Language and culture are interwined and play a large role of a person's identity. Take me for example:
Born to Dutch and German parents, raised in Senegal West Africa, and now living in the United States.
So when I speak Wolof, the tribal language I learnt while in Senegal, my mood automatically shifts to that of a typical African speaking Wolof. My hands start flying, my emotions start soaring and I feel happier. When I speak English, my mood becomes more subtle and not as emotional. I feel different. When I speak to my relatives in Holland or my Mother in Dutch, I start thinking more about my European ways of life. Languages create different moods and worlds that we as multi lingual people can travel in and out of. Many of us never even experience learning two languages. I consider myself very fortunate as to learning 5 languages and understanding the culture behind each one. I can travel to 5 different worlds all in one day~ How fortunate!

Jan 12 2012:
I am a multilingual (English, Spanish, Korean, and Russian) and I think in different languages depending on the subject. Also, I have a bad habit of mixing the languages when I speak to someone who knows those languages. More often than not, I find certain expressions or words in one language that exactly express what I want to say that I cannot find in some others.
Learning a language (and mastering it) is not only linguistic experience but also cultural one. It broadens your horizons, expands your world and enriches your life.
My little daughters speak three languages fluently and I will definitely encourage them to learn more when they are ready.

Jan 10 2012:
Language is a very determining point of one's culture. For instance in my native language "Mandingo", you can find so many words borowed from arabic. this language has been constructed over a thousand years and so, from the old empire of Ghana to our days. Today, according to the african country you hear it, it sounds different always adapting to the environnement. Only in the ivory coast, you have more than ten variants of the same language.

The reason for that is that our population has been for centuries merchants, travelling up to the sub-asian continent. Plus We had a big influence from the arabic surroundings in north Africa, that influenced even the primary religious belief. Most of our people are muslim since a thousand years. As the only language that have been taught and written until the colonisation was arabic, it has taken a central place in the body of this language.
Besides, you have the ancient egyptian languages influences, that you can find in tens of subsaharian african languages.

Having learned french at school and using it everyday as a national language opens our attention to anything french, especially when we travel in countries speaking other languages. We feel somewhat belonging to that culture, so we tend to address easily a person speaking french as someone we can trust rather than anyone else. We feel less stranger to each other; the same thing works for people speaking our native language. I remember some kind of warmth going up from my heart when I would hear someone speaking Mandigo in the subway on my way up to the bronx when I lived in NYC.

But as you get accomodated with different languages, I do not think you choose anymore in what language you think. i believe that I think in something that give sens in all the languages I speak today, therefor the finding of words apply to the language that is called for one coversation.

Being trilingual does affect our identity as we feel that we belong more to the world than a tribe.

Jan 10 2012:
Sir, if I may, your closing statement is beautifully said: "We feel that we belong more to the world than a tribe."

Studies have shown that learning different languages create new neural pathways in the brain, which explains why some multilinguals with brain injuries sometimes lose one language and not another. Further health studies have linked learning languages with an increased resistance to dementia. But I must say, nothing science shows us compares to the emotional connection that we get from the sense of belonging when we hear others speaking our native language, especially when in a land that is foreign (if not openly hostile).

Jan 29 2012:
Language is tightly interwoven with culture, so it is inevitable that the culture will have an effect upon the manner of speaking. I am a native English speaker, but perfectly fluent in Italian, and have been living in Italy for over a decade. Some of my bilingual friends have told me that they "prefer" me when I speak in one language as opposed to the other, and I am also aware that I am quite different when I change language.

I have noticed that INTERNATIONAL English is a unique language in and of itself, because in becoming international it has been stripped of a lot of the regional nuances that give a language its unique flair and generational/geographical/cultural context. Since I've been living abroad I speak primarily Italian and "international" English (with non-native English speakers), and I have to admit that when I do have the rare opportunity to speak with friends from my childhood in the U.S., I feel transported back in time and happily dust off some of the old slang that I haven't used in ages.

If I had to try to classify it, I feel like I am closest to my "real" self when I am speaking either regional conversational English or Italian, because in both cases I am enriching my word choice with pieces of myself and the cultures that have helped forge me. When I speak in "international" English I feel more limited and formal, because it means I am speaking with someone who may or may not be able to understand some of the more place-specific slang or cultural references.

Jan 24 2012:
I've grown up speaking 7 different languages (and the count is increasing).
I feel connected wherever I go and it doesn't take me a long while before I start thinking in the language of the place.

Thinking in different languages is an act that transpires inner beauty and lets your mind capture the underlying essence of all differing opinions and cultures, while at the same time letting you explore the iridescence of the mind space! It simply makes you a better person! I feel that thinking in different languages has imparted a certain 'flexibility' to my mind.

Jan 18 2012:
I spoke Hungarian until the age of 5, then learned English. At around age 10-12 I started to think in English, before then I thought in Hungarian. It is something if you say that your background is from a certain country/culture, but I believe speaking the language creates that real connection to that culture. Without the language I do not believe you feel entirely like you are part of that culture.

Jan 18 2012:
I speak English as a primary language, and Korean as a second fluently. I definitely think in English except where Korean concepts that do not translate intrude. I instinctively call Korean things Korean names, and have to translate them awkwardly into English.

These two languages have helped me to understand the difference in process of thought between these two cultures, and to be keenly aware of the assumptions our formative experiences predispose us to.

Language is victim to, and perpetuates a way of thought within a culture. As such, those who speak the language are predisposed to that particular way of thought. Koreans tend to associate objects by color/texture, while an English speaker will associate them by shape. These minor differences play out in every aspect of who we are as a human being, and our very understanding of the universe around us.

Learning these differences has assisted in my ability to converse with those of diverse backgrounds, to first try to appreciate their way of thought, and then to identify any potential roadblocks to our agreement on a point so that I may circumvent them.

These are very important ideas for a society that will soon be seeking total globalization.

Jan 17 2012:
I speak three languages fluently: Spanish, English and German. Spanish is my native language. I enjoy learning and teaching languages. So far, My brain works with Spanish better than English or German. Yet I am constantly challenging myself to learn more. Sometimes I feel baffled by all the information I find in one single language. I wish I could master more languages. I normally think and speak in my own native language (Spanish), but most of the information I read is in English. I can read English just as well as Spanish; though my German is not that good, but good enough to carry an intelligent conversation. Indeed, each language I have learned in my life has made quite an impression on my psyche. I usually make myself read in the three languages I use and I force myself to learn a little bit of French, Russian, Italian, Portuguese and Chinese. I think each language has its own charm, and beauty. When I was a little kid I used to stutter, and when I started learning English, I was able to overcome that problem in both languages. Sometimes I have dreamed in English and German.

Jan 15 2012:
I am bilingual and think dream and speak in my adopted language (Italian). I have trouble writing in Italian however, and am often blocked (like today), unable to get the stuff out of my head and on to the page or screen. Probably I am afraid of the permanence of the written word, of the idea that I may be making simple grammatical mistakes. When I speak in Italian it is like singing, I can adapt and move and express myself freely.

I hosted an event with the Italian philosopher, Carlo Sini, this summer and he made an excellent comparison of language and culture to machines, to automata that exist outside of ourselves, we learn how to use them, some with mastery, but they are prosthetic devices to transfer our ideas from our brains to others' brains. I think I have mastered only the "real-time" version of my adopted language.

I'm a bilingual and I've been fascinated by finding out the difference between Korean and English.
Depends on the language I choose, my attitude and mind are a bit different.
And of course, the way I express and describe something are also dissimilar.

But the thing is..languages always have something in common.

And that connects the world and give a considerable meaning to translators.

(By the way, nowadays, I'm getting proud of my mother tongue as a Korean.
A bilingual could love both of the languages he knows, but there's always a preferable and familiar one.)

I am able to think in 3 languages as well, and try to do so with the languages I'm still not so good at.
Though I do see differences between the languages, I live in an environment that mixes them up (at least I do...), so I can't put a big distinction between them.

For me, knowing languages is most useful to increase conversation with other people. As my mother tongue is spoken by at most 30 million people (I guess), and only by 60% of the people living in my country... it does matter.

There are certainly cultural differences that really become apparent when you learn other languages... For example, I was really baffled that English has no proper word to start a meal, while most other languages do.

As for identity: like any skill you acquire, it becomes part of your identity.

Jan 11 2012:
Language is a core component of self, and a means of communication with the outer world, although not necessarily conforming to all of its manifestations, cultural and ideological; then you discover that language begins to make you a citizen of the world, in dialogue with others, no matter how differently they may think: dialogue is the word, multilingual is the platform, accepting diversity is the attitude.

Jan 12 2012:
¡Bien dicho! A thought about tolerance and the acceptance of diversity: My personal experience is that those who are multilingual are more likely to have these traits than monolinguals. Did their exposure to multiple languages make them so?

Jan 12 2012:
Carl
I think the exposure to languages, where one really begins to communicate in another does have that effect. Living in another culture is also important. You make cultural blunders, you learn from other people, you learn how to be in a totally "other" world.

Jan 9 2012:
Remember, our outer voice mostly relies on the same neural circuitry as our inner voice. We are bilingual either way. I do think that with each language comes a different identity, slightly removed from the other. In each language, we have a different way of expressing ourselves, different recipients (not all our friends are bilingual) and different cultures we're more likely to be interacting with while we speak one language or the other.

Jan 9 2012:
I think primarily in English, and my study of other languages has shown that languages frame the passing show is far different ways. So language does help create my cultural identity. This leads to two observations: 1. We must enter into the language world of another culture before we have any grounds for judging its worldview or values. 2. There are parts of human experience which no language can encompass, and it is perhaps here where we can find a common basis for unity--Karen Armstrong's "Charter for Compassion" is an attempt to move beyond the parameters of language to our common humanity. Language always divides, that is its function. Our humanity transcends our language and culture; that is our hope.

Jan 7 2012:
As a multilingual speaker, I realized that I've learned not only languages and cultures, but also the beauty of each language and culture. It opened up another world to look at life with different perspectives. When I think, I think in all languages I speak and switch languages from one to the other when needed. It usually depends on the task I am doing, i.e. if I am working on something in English or reading something in English, then I think in English, and so forth, otherwise, in my personal life I think in my native language.

Jan 7 2012:
Hi Gulnoza, your knowledge of multiple languages fascinates me. I always felt that I too should speak and understand multiple languages but still am not able to get hang of it. Can you share how you developed this habit which may be of help to me.

Jan 7 2012:
I don't think there is any habit except love for learning languages and curiosity. When I learned languages I always compared one language to the other languages, found some similarities, differences, tried to associate to each other which made it easier and more interesting to learn.

Jan 9 2012:
I don't think we have to change to become someone else. If you want to get hang of it, TED Translation will be a good option to try. Find your language to know other ideas and change the subtitle to learn their languages. You will find it very interesting.

Jan 6 2012:
I have lived in the United States my entire life, but speak Chinese fluently - my parents speak it to me at home, and I have a lot of family in China, whom I occasionally visit. I know what you mean when you say moving in and out of cultures; when I'm in China, things are so different. Customs, mentality, everything. I value the flexibility I have though.

Since I live in America and am constantly surrounded by English-speakers, I think in English. My Chinese will get worse, if I don't use it. Sometimes, if I've been indulging in Chinese tv shows, for example, my thinking will be in both Chinese and English.

For me, my Chinese heritage has helped keep me aware, accepting, and appreciative of other cultures. I love travelling and learning about other cultures. I believe being culturally aware is a responsibility and an obligation. It's really helped me get along with people who are different than I am, culturally as well as other things.

I also studied French for five years. It's a beautiful language, and when I visited France I felt like less of an outsider because I understood its people.

Jan 6 2012:
I can identify with missing languages! I find myself trying to think in all three at times.
Cultures must be celebrated, also identities. no matter how difference we THINK we are, we all have an inherent need to communicate which is why we learn languages.
Thank you for your reply.

Jan 30 2012:
I'm fluent in Ducth and english, reasonable at German (I was born there), know a bit of French and Spanish from having lived their, portugese from working there, a bit of italian from having done some business there and a little greek from the classics. Although language can really serve as a sort of identity, if you get into it, I prefer to be more flexible.
Sometimes language as a whole is much easier if you look at all of them at once. I can read most of what I see around me on when I travel in Europe because most words will have a similar word in one of the languages that I know. I also find that I've learned to mix them up when I think,.. or even when I talk, depending on the language skill of the people I'm talking to. Some words or expressions just work better in certain langauges, so, at least in my head, I mix them constantly, even langauges that I don't really speak very wel.
When I take notes its worse. Anything that holds an idea will do, from cartoons to hierglyphs that I picked up studing history or some foreign word for a very complicated idea that just doesn't exist in any other language. Sometimes math, which is really just a language, as well.

It seems to me that if young children where taught 'language' at school, rather than one or two particular languages, they'd have a much easier time picking up functional knowledge of the ones they need when they need them later in life.

Jan 30 2012:
Languages and living these particular languages, are two very strong identity factors.
Bilingual since I was a kid, and having learned 3 more languages and studying a fourth right now, languages give you the freedom of being a global citizen, willing to travel and knowing new cultures. And if you get to really travel around the world, if you really get to live the language, you feel self confident, become open minded.
Languages create strong identities and approach people from all around the world.
In www.universoprofesional.com we try to give this message to young professionals, to inform them about the importance of being not only bilingual but also trilingual or more.

Jan 30 2012:
I've grown up with 2 languages and have since learned a few more. Language is more than communication, it is a code which reveals the culture of a people. What are the curse words, these will tell me what is sacred or taboo; how are common sayings expressed in one language versus the other; how does humour work in a language in a particular place etc...I agree with Ayesha that different languages do tend to bring out different aspects of my personality. I think in whatever language best renders the concept or addresses the situation with which I'm dealing at the time. It is not a conscious decision of which I am aware. I have always believed that understanding the code of many languages heps me better conceptualize, think on several levels at once and relate to different perspectives and points of view.

Jan 29 2012:
There was a time when I was perfectly trilingual, even as an adult. I have now lost my competence with one of the languages. I had given this question some thought when I was trilingual.
Quite often, when I'm thinking about things, it is virtually spoken out inside my head. And again, quite often, there is an imaginary audience for this, and this audience is usually based on people I had related conversations with in real life. Let's say I'm a banker who likes to watch football with friends. (I'm neither.) When thinking of banking issues, I would "converse" with my colleagues, in the language that I use at work. And when I'm thinking of the game, I would converse with my drinking buddies with whom I watch the game, and I would "converse" in the language I normally use with them.

There were times when I caught myself in idle thought when driving or riding a bus, about things I have saw then and there. And I suddenly stopped and asked myself what language that was. I tried to "speak out" the thought in each of the languages I spoke fluently, and I could make none of them fit the thought.

So, for myself, there are times when I think, that I think in no language at all. (When I was thinking this note out, I thought in English.)

Jan 29 2012:
This is a very interesting point and I quite agree with it. I also notice that sometimes I think concepts that I can't find words for in any language I know.
And I agree that when I speak or think in a language, the people I spoke to most in my life in that language are present in my mind as an imaginary audience. I believe I speak the languages in relationship to them, because I learned it and practised it by speaking to them.
It does feel a bit like I'm a different person in every language I speak, but I notice that most when I switch languages with the same person - if I'd been speaking to them in English and we switch to French or vice versa. When this happens it clearly feels like we step into a different context a bit, as if we suddenly look at the world from a different perspective - as if suddenly France is the center of the globe. And the same goes with any other language.

Jan 30 2012:
It is interesting for me to note that many here, including you, seem to switch perspectives or culture when you switch languages. I tend to not use language in a very colloquial manner, and other multilinguals around me have told me that I speak all three languages in exactly the same manner: MY manner. I don't "get" them! Not that I have an accent in any of these. People assume I'm a native speaker unless I tell them.

Jan 28 2012:
I'm a flemish Belgian. Now, anyone who's ever heard of my country will propably have heard of our difficulties concerning our communities. There are 3 official languages (flemish Dutch, French, German) in Belgium and The Flemish (Dutch speakers) and the Walloons (French speakers) have been in a fight with eachother ever since the beginning of our nation. The key concern of this fight was the way our languages were used; if they were treated equally, wether the speaker of the French language was superiour to the Flemish. This hasn't changed through history, this argument is stil going on. If you have followed political news last year you might have noticed it took Belgium over a year to form a government after the last one fell over communotair questions. I think it is thus fair to say that language forms a great part of our identity. In fact, here it is the key part of your identity. It is was defines you or it is by which you are defined by others.

Personally, language is an important part of my identity, because of what I just explained. In my own language I can express myself in a way I can not when speaking another language. This is even so where the difference is concerned between the Flemish and the Dutch (Netherlands). When I speak to a Dutchman I can hear the cultural differences between us in every word we utter, even though we are supposed to speak the same language. We use the words differently, both in meaning as in sound.
That doesn't mean I dislike other languages. In fact, I think that the more languages you speak the 'richer' you become in mind and understanding. I speak Dutch, French, English and I understand German. These languages have given me access to knowledge I would not have had access to if I did not understand these languages. Multilinguism is something desirable. In most cases it leads to a greater understanding of eachother (except in Belgium, doesn't help at all).

Jan 28 2012:
I see Languages like art ..use correctly it is an expresion of our inner self.. I only speak Spanish,German and English..
everytime I try to express some deep emotions i dont have to think wich one I will use ..each language has words and their definitions are so accurate on delivering the message.
I like to add italian and arab to languages I´d like to be able to speak.

Jan 27 2012:
What a fascinating question to consider! One of the areas I am currently studying is the construction of identity through communication, and as we consider the institution of language as a part of articulating elements of one's identity, this question becomes central to the notion of communicative identity construction. When we socially construct meaning, identity being a form of meaning, with other communicators, we do so within the confines of the language that we speak. Our language gives us access to common or shared conceptualizations about ourselves and the world, opening up some possibilities and closing off others. Someone with access to various language systems can co-construct meaning from within very different public discourses, and therefore has increased resources from which to construct their sense of self. These various discursive resources enable this individual to create space to challenge their identity as constructed in any one discursive formation--in other words, your access to diverse contexts enables you to define your own identity in more distinct, nuanced ways within the more dominant narrative. Very interesting--thanks for posing this question!

Jan 27 2012:
The basic purpose of language is to communicate. So its gives you the leverage of knowing and communicating with more people . But the best part i like is you can enjoy more literature , music . isnt it the best part of it .

Jan 28 2012:
Hi Ayesha,
I am working toward my doctorate in Organizational Communication. Essentially, I study the processes by which we create meaning within and around organizations and society. I am early in the process-working on it part time as I teach full time-so still sorting through narrowing down my specific research interests, but the central premise is the ways in which organizational and public discourses intersect to inhibit dialogue. Dialogue is a unique form of communication in which each communicator comes to the interaction fully cognizent of his or her positionality---this entails understanding the power inherent within their social positioning and how that impacts their ability to influence the creation of meaning. These communicators then go the extra step of attempting to understand the other person's positionality in the interaction as well. The goal is to create new meaning rather than impose a pre-existing meaning held by either communicator. In my view, dialogue understood in this way is necessary for us to come together to address issues as a society and as a global community.

One essential element of this process is recognizing the ways in which our identity construction impacts our positionality--and how our understanding of ourselves is both limited by and enabled by the social structures we create through our communication.

If you're interested in this area of study, you can certainly get a better feel for the way this perspective plays out in considering everyday experience by visiting my blog--it's a personal commentary from my standpoint as a developing academic--a place where I sort through various academic concepts as they play out in my everyday experience. My posts range from purely academic to how these concepts inform my role as a mother raising three young children. It might give a more clear understanding of the way I view and study communicative processes. Feel free to check it out! http://www.kathy-momphd.blogspot.com

Jan 27 2012:
Hi AyeshiIm a ducth person now living n the uk speaking English / thinking english my dad is in France so I speak French, I studied in Spain so I had to learn Spanish. I can also speak German. Although these are European languages and maybe similar in culture.I feel like Im blessed that I speak these languages and wouldn't like it any other way. Isn't it just great that you can follow these cultures and speak the language? I don't think in more than one language english now. I used to get frustrated and blame the culture but I think that I was just blaming the culture when something didn't really go my way so in the Uk i would say' So english and so on. I At the end of the day I think we are all aiming for the same thing but all in a diffrent way .

Jan 27 2012:
Hi Ayesha, sorry I do not. I grew up, a blonde in a Mexican hood. I do know, a slang Mexican language. I took Spanish in school. I had class mates, that were Mexican. They knew less, than I did. I do admire language! It is not language, that keeps us apart. It is cultures and bigotry. One can speak a language, one is a dork, for not understanding, the culture! You nailed it! :)

Jan 24 2012:
I speak 3 languages, only one natively, the others fluently. Language is a intrinsic part of one's culture and vice-versa, so it's perfectly natural to feel different if you're speaking a language that "belongs" to a different culture. If i spend more time in a specific environment of one of "my" 3 languages (like a week-long Esperanto congress), i'll start thinking in that language - but i always count in Portuguese.

Ever heard of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis? I wouldn't mind learning Lojban next if i had the time (or Russian, or Polish, or Japanese, or...).

Jan 23 2012:
I am trilingual, and I lived in several countries, once you emerge yourself in the local culture, you start acquiring their customs, and their ways, you even start thinking and even dreaming in their language, but as soon as I change languages,I noticed that my customs change accordingly.

Jan 23 2012:
I live in a country of ethnically related but linguistically heterogeneous peoples, and majority of the people here speak at least 4 languages (usually including English). Though we call ourselves 'Filipinos' in general, the diversity of languages, hence cultures, somehow complicates the way we identify ourselves as a nation. An average Filipino may be able to give you a list of characteristics 'distinct' to us, but if asked to just give one, I don't believe he/she can provide one (unlike Koreans, who would probably give the word 'jeong' (정), roughly translated as 'affection', yet still defined/understood differently by Koreans). The disadvantage of such national ambiguity, I think, only falls on how we, as a people, see ourselves as a separate, distinct group. But its merit is that it keeps us open to change, which could lead to progress.

Jan 22 2012:
I think language is essential to adopt a culture. I moved to London a year ago to improve my English and sometimes I still thinking in French which is my native language. I think the better you get in the learning process, the more confident you are. As a result ,you get involved in the culture easily. TED a way for me to practice my listening and develop some vocabulary by watching a few conferences every single day.

Jan 21 2012:
I grew up bilingual Slovak / English, living in Slovakia and watching loads of British / American channels and speaking English with my mum when I was younger. I later had English problems because of having learnt some English in Australia, then from a Canadian teacher, and then living in Brussels in a multinational school (which resulted in an ever-changing accent). I personally can't associate myself with any particular culture, partly due to language and partly due to having lived in different environments. I usually think in English, unless I speak Slovak, but nevertheless I find that often I don't fully understand the thoughts of native speakers, and in general I feel less confident in making spontaneous jokes, uttering large sophisticated sentences, etc. I see what you mean by moving in and out of cultures as you change languages, since that language is associated with a particular experiences or areas of interest. A trilinguar friend of mine completely changes his speech and attitude depending on whether he's speaking Italian, English or French, which I find very interesting.

Jan 21 2012:
I don't know what role does language play in the creation of my identity but I have to say that the ways I express myself in Romanian and in English are completely different. I surprise myself talking like a punk in Romanian like i was conditioned by the environment in which i live and using a more elevated, academic language in English. I think it has a lot to do with how you get that language and how are you conditioned in using it. I also talk 99.9% of the time in Romanian, but i do a lot of thinking (imagining would be a more proper term) in English!

Jan 24 2012:
I think it is because the time i spend on the Interner, the music I listen, the movies I watch and the books I read are in a proportion of 90% in English. Anyway, when i speak in English i can't find the words very easily, altough when I write it comes natural. Also because a lack of exercise in speaking English. But I imagine a lot of conversations or dialogues in English. Yesterday for example i heard George Carlin saying in a video: "If you scratch the cynic, you'll find an disappointed idealist underneath". And I thought that is a very wise line, I have to remember this. And I was trying to translate it in Romanian in my mind. It wasn't too easy tough. I get messages easily in both languages, but when I try to translate from one language to another in my mind it's not really easy. Maybe a linguist or a neuro-scientist could explain that! :)

Jan 21 2012:
in my opinion language and the origin of a thought are independent, rather language is the medium through which a thought can be conveyed.A thought could be conveyed verbally or through action,(body language) if you say you think in a language how would you explain that in the case of dumb people ?

Jan 19 2012:
Same here. Learned three very different languages, in this order: Hungarian, Romanian and English. Using all three on a daily basis, sometimes two of them in the same sentence - very bad habit. Working in multillingual environment and automatically switching between languages, as needed. Thinking in more than one language? I'm not sure about this, I usually think in that single language I just use. And I also recall of using Romanian or English while dreaming.

Jan 19 2012:
I was born in pure Punjabi family, went to school learned Urdu and English. Its all for me is like shifting gears. We can correlate this theory if the languages effect your thoughts and behaviors, at one point. That if you have to know any culture you got to learn the language first to act like their natives. Or with out language you're out in the dark.

Jan 18 2012:
A study suggests that by switching the language you speak you unconsciously alter your personality.

This is why I think that happens------>Say you interact with two social groups and behave differently around each of them. You also switch your language when you change your social group. Over time you become habituated to changing your behavior every time you switch the language you speak in........

Jan 17 2012:
I speak two languages fluently: Portuguese and English. I am also currently learning Spanish. My native language is Portuguese so I use this language more often but constantly find myself thinking in English for absolutely no reason.
I enjoy hearing and learning different languages and I think the spoken/written word is one ofthe greatest accomplishments of humanity.

Jan 17 2012:
I speak 3 languages fluently, Dutch English and French. I think in French when I speak French Dutch when I speak Dutch ect. When I can't find a word I start thinking in another language but when I count I prefer to count in Dutch, but when I have to give my telephone number it is easier in French. I don't have a mother language as far as I am concerned. I can switch from one language to another without thinking about the language, like somebody said it just is there. When I want to speak German or Afrikaans I have to translate, so that is when you know that your are not fluent in that language. I don't even pay attention to the language I dream in because they all come naturally

Jan 16 2012:
What a beautiful question. I know French Canadian - I grew up taking classes in French for half the day, every day, in Ontario, Canada. I feel proud of having the language, but I also love that I learned the quirky accent and sayings that make Quebec French so unique.

I also know a bit of German, and Swiss German. There are all sorts of sayings my Mother will use; she'll say "there's a word for that in German and it's (something 23 syllables long that I don't understand) - but there is really no translation for it in English!" That German has such fascinating terms makes me want to learn the language even more, and perhaps in spite of the fact that it isn't so much a practical langauge for travel or business...it would really be for the sheer enjoyment of 23 syllable words and how they feel on my tongue.

Jan 16 2012:
Ehmm, an honest question. Why do you think in language?
I am fairly good in english yet I'm a native dutch speaker... can also talk a bit of german and french but not that great. Meanwhile I'm dyslectic so theres a lot of stuff going on there. ;)

However I never "think" in a language. I come up with an idea which is more like a feeling or sometimes an image-like thing (not that I 'see an image' but I often transform stuff people say into an "image" to "see what's going on" and then my reply will be based on "what's missing in the image".
Then my quests for the right words begins in which I first must think up "what it is I'm gonna try to say" and then in which language. And only at the very end I come up with the words for it.

It's only when I have to 'remember' something that I first phrase it into words and then 'say it to myself' in which case it's dependant on the language I just spoke (aka in england I "think" english and in the netherlands it's dutch.)

Jan 15 2012:
I'm bilingual (English/Spanish). English is my first language and I 98% of the time think, dream and process in English. I started learning Spanish when I was three. I speak it fluently, but get rusty when I don't use it in a while. Although at the strangest times a phrase will come to me in Spanish for what I want to say in English and there is no English equivalent. Occasionally I dream in Spanish. I work at the airport and find that being able to communicate better with Spanish speakers eases their stress and forms an instant connection.

I don't necessarily think that teaching kids more than one language makes them more adaptable or smarter, but I do think it better prepares them to live in the world today. We are increasingly becoming a global community and the ability to communicate with others is priceless.

Jan 15 2012:
I am bilingual at present (English/Bulgarian).
I daresay I have the same story (growing up speaking more than one language) as many of the participants in this topic. I think that it is a great advantage as it gives access to more info and enables to broaden your horizons in many ways and I consider that the more languages the better ...

I like the idea that fluency in any language is like an extra University educational course. But I wish to propose another topic here from the point of view of parents:

Do you agree that teaching your kids more than one language when they are little makes them smarter and more adaptable hence prepared for the challenges ahead of them?

Jan 17 2012:
Silivia
I am not sure about smarter, but certainly wiser. I do feel language and worldview are so tied to one another that teaching a child early does help them adapt more to our world. I mean by that the real world we live in, the one that is multi-lingual, multi-cultural.

Jan 14 2012:
I'm trilungual. And is weird that I think in a language that I never really speak much.

Sometimes, the idea/word(s) you're looking for is in the other language and you can't relate it to someone who doesn't understand that language. But it already helps to have that idea in your mind.
In essence you are ahead by one idea compared to one that does not understand the language.

Jan 13 2012:
I am bilingual and find that I will switch language in brain function (thinking, dreaming) after about 1 month in a social setting where that is the primary language. It usually takes 4 weeks after I have changed countries for this switch to occur.

And absolutely, the language I am thinking in influences the world view I am operating under. If you are not aware of it, it can get a little shaky. I like how you put it, moving in and out of cultures. I call it 'sliding' between cultures. This is a skill set that not many people have. It gives you the opportunity to have different world views and expands your understanding of the human experience.

Jan 13 2012:
I truly think in two languages depending on the context. I can also spontaneously be thinking on either one of two languages. When I speak my third or fourth language, I think, more slowly, but still think in the new language. By being truly bilingual I am bicultural and also realize that I do not quite express myself as well as a native speaker, well as a very good native speaker. By having learned a third and a fourth language I notice they get easier to learn than the first foreign language.

Jan 12 2012:
I grew up learning Cantonese, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. Although English was learned fourth, it's become my dominant language for communicating as well as thinking. I learned Spanish and school and used it for most of my career so incidentally, I know Spanish better than any of these Chinese dialects now. However, I still identifiy myself as an Asian American and most of my advocacy work revolves around Asian American communities.

Jan 12 2012:
I'm trilingual and I find myself thinking in all three languages. It can get interesting and also sometimes it can get annoying when I speak, because sometimes I tend to mix all three. But I believe each language makes us express ourselves in a totally different manner. However, I don't like myself to be identified with a certain language or languages, because for me identity is something to do with my morals and values not the languages I speak.

Jan 12 2012:
I've now lived in France for almost 20 years, and think more easily in French than in English! I agree that different languages open our minds to other points of view and possibilities, and want to now learn Spanish also. I would advise anyone who can to learn another language and if possible spend some time living in another country.

Jan 10 2012:
Great topic. I have two mother languages, Turkish and this very-little-known language, Laz. When I was a kid, I also learned French because my brother was studying French in high school and I was hearing it all the time at home. (Boy I wish I could learn languages as fast as we could when we were a baby.) Now as an adult, I can speak four languages (Turkish, French, Laz, English) and learning one more (Spanish). Best thing for me about knowing a language, even more than being able to communicate with more people, is that I can enjoy books, movies, TV shows, political debates in their own original language. It's still annoying to me that I'm probably missing a lot in translation when I'm reading a translated book. My brain works in a way that when I'm speaking a language, say English, my brain ONLY works in English. I'm fluent in English, Turkish is my first language, still, I am absolutely horrible at translating anything from one language to another instantly when I'm asked to. (Exactly why I admire translators.) When I'm talking to someone in English, I think in English. When talking in French, I think in French. The only time the Turk in me pops out without a warning is when I get surprised/get scared of something. Doesn't happen often, but I remember a few times I threw an, "Evet!" (means "Yes," in English) when I heard something exciting, even though the person I'm talking to was American and we were speaking in English. Not complaining though, as it's amusing and a tad confusing to everyone around me and also to myself. :-)

Jan 10 2012:
The best thing about more languages is obvious, it is to have access to more information.
Most of the time I'm listening to German sometimes French, write in English and speaking Dutch.
Reading I do in any of those languages. Often I notice the limited scope by people that use one language.

Jan 10 2012:
What a great question and there are some super comments. Especially like the term "voice" and also the comments about understanding/experiencing cultures (in addition to speaking the language).

Believe there are different bilinguals/trilinguals and consequently they have different perspectives. For example, we have lived/worked in three different counties as adults, while our children are in a different stage. We have all integrated in different ways.

From our experience, we have learned to take the best of all the cultures so identify with three different societies. We like frank/open German conversations and factual German TV. Love the beauty, culture, cuisine, and generosity of Italy/Italians and the lack of bureaucracy/easygoingness, education, chance to advance of the USA.

When we were younger our ties were stronger to one country or another. Now we believe appreciating different cultures is like a dual-sided sword. We are home to three countries and then again none as talians are Italian, Germans are German and Americans are American.

What we have learned about being "multis" is that it's not about being right or wrong in a society, but that we are different for many reasons. As picasso has said it take a long time to grow young.

Jan 10 2012:
I grew up bilingual as the son of Americans living in Mexico City. I have spent much of my life in marketing communications, helping U.S. marketers communicate with Spanish-speaking consumers. I have always been intrigued by the way language is an expression of and a source of cultural identity. One example: English is gender-neutral while in Spanish every noun has a male or female gender. It's clear to me that this reflects (and is probably causal to) different world-views. I know that I "function" differently in the U.S. and in Latin America and I feel strongly that my ability to do so is a central part of my identity -- so, yes, growing up bilingual is an integral part of who I am.

To add a little texture to another thread above, my dad learned Spanish as an adult and acquired his second language fluently (albeit with a slight Boston accent). In his 70s he had a stroke and lost his Spanish, although his ability to speak English was untouched. It was explained to us that languages acquired after childhood "live" in a different part of the brain than do languages acquired in infancy. Makes me wonder, then, if languages acquired as a baby are influential in building identity while languages learned as an adult are simply additional "knowledge"...

Jan 10 2012:
Carl
Very interesting question about learning the language. And yes, I think the gender/non-gender of nouns, the subjunctive and its use in Spanish all point to different worldview issues. My children are very much like you.

Jan 10 2012:
I think place and experience actually is a greater factor in the creation of a personal identity, and language is a marker of the places and experiences. For example, my wife is completely bilingual and has lived half her life in one place and half her life here in the States - she both thinks and dreams in both languages, but neither language "created" who she is - she is completely of her native land and also completely American. When she speaks to another hispanohablante of her native country, she does not feel completely at home. Neither speaking English here. Her family in her native country note her Americanness, and unilingual (i.e. English-speaking) Americans focus solely on her foreignness. Ergo, she is this beautiful anomoly, traversing two cultures and defined by each - her languages are simply the "marker" that distinguishes be between the two.

I have learned Spanish late in life, and while not completely fluent I have learned enough to assist hispanohablantes in several previous jobs I have held. Limited-English native-Spanish speakers came to see me as that "gringo who at least TRIES to help," and I took some pride in that identity, but again, that stemmed from the work I was trying to do and the people I was trying to assist.

I am an ARDENT supporter of multilingual studies. Personally, I believe that each person should learn at least three languages (for me - AS GAELGE!). And I completely agree with all these posts how language breaks down barriers and opens doors to other cultures and allows a person access to a deeper insight into other human beings. However, I still feel strongly that it is our experiences (places and people) that create our "identity"

Language, for me, seems to be key that opens doors to other peoples' homes.

However, if you find in these comments I am naught but an ignorant American, I will not dispute your charge.